Depends on age/price
If you're buying a pre-1980 C22, you're looking at under $4,000.00, about the price of an old, beater automobile. Did you hire a surveyor last time you bought an old, beater automobile? I'd suggest you contact a surveyor and ask how much one costs, then run the numbers for yourself. If you're going to self-survey (or even if you're not), you should look through the archives for common C22 problems, such as: - If it's a swing keel, does the keel look as though it has been maintained and perhaps upgraded (by fairing it, adding bushings, etc.)? Or, is it a big, rusty mess? Do the winch and cable appear solid and well-maintained? Does the friction lock function properly (or does it even exist--some people remove them)? - Walk on the deck, particularly forward of the hatch. Is it spongy? Are through-deck fittings secure and well-bedded? - In the cabin, are there signs of water damage? Leaks from the topsides? See any drip marks under the sidelights? Do the sidelight gaskets look old and decrepit, or have they been replaced? - Do you have rig upgrades, like lines led aft, roller furling, etc? These cost money to add yourself. - Does it have a bimini top? Stanchions, lifelines, and a stern "pushpit"? - Does the gelcoat (deck and topsides) appear well-maintained, or is it chalky, cracked, and chipped? I didn't really have any experience with this stuff when I bought my boat, and so I wound up with a boat that, though inexpensive ($2,300), needed a lot of work. Problem is, you price the materials for fixing and upgrading, and you start looking at investing money you'll never recover during resale. This poses a dillemma, for me. I'd suggest avoiding the dillemma and finding one that someone else took good care of. The price differential doesn't appear to be that great. Good luck!
